I am sitting here with my stupid opalescence trays in my mouth totally hating it. However, I must suffer because it cost $300 and I am determined to see this through.
I have to wear these for up to 3 hours for four days. I don't know if I can take it! I can't even have water! It is sort of stinging my gums and I am about to jump out of my skin.
Tell me it gets better!
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~ dc
"Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination" - Oscar Wilde
Its soooo worth it-- nothing is better than white teeth.
I sleep w/mine. Much easier as I can't go through 30 minutes without drinking water when I'm awake. Mine say to wear for 1-3 hours at a time too but my dentist told me they are fine to sleep all night with as long as you don't have teeth sensitivity.
my dad is a dentist, and i use the same stuff. you might be putting too much bleach in if it is stinging your gums. i put in one thin line all around the tray. and i always wipe off the excess once it's in my mouth. if you have the syringes i usually get 3 or 4 wears out of a syringe (i only do my top). i would do it every other day for a week. like mara, i sleep with it in (usually take it out sometime throughout the night). i also wear it when i run errands sometimes. it's great to wear when you have your peak snacking time to prevent snacking. after a week it will totally work, and then you probably don't have to do it more than once a week (if even that).
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"i tell you one lesson I learned
If you want to be something in life, You ain't gonna get it unless, You give a little bit of sacrifice, Oohh, sometimes before you smile you got to cry.." -The Roots
Well, I got through my 3 hours (thanks for the reassurance), but I felt like I had to spit every 5 minutes (gross, I know).... I use top and bottom. I can't imagine running errands - I can barely talk on the phone!
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~ dc
"Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination" - Oscar Wilde
I don't use them because of a bridge I have (the bridge won't take to bleach so you end up with different shades of teeth), but my SO has the ones with the top and bottom trays with the syringes. He is very sensative and probably doesn't wear them as often as he should, but he can even sleep with them in. I reccommend trying that.
Drew - that's what I do have. it's just annoying to wear because bleach makes your teeth senstive and also you can swallow or drink water... 3 more nights! I could not sleep with these in - I'd gag. I can't even sleep with the thing I am supposed to wear to stop my teeth from grinding.
I have bonding on my two front teeth (to fill my Lauren Hutton gap) which won't take the bleach either (just a little) - my dentist is just going to re-do the bonding after I am done with the bleaching. But that's different from a whole bridge...
-- Edited by dc at 16:58, 2005-03-15
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~ dc
"Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination" - Oscar Wilde
one more suggestion. like i mentioned before, i don't use the bottom (you can't see my bottom teeth when i talk, so i figure what's the point. plus it's crazy to compare the difference!!!)...anyways, if you want to sleep with them, i would do the top, then sleep with the bottom. not both. i can't imagine doing that. i also grind my teeth and had to replace it!!!
good luck. it's soooo worth it.
__________________
"i tell you one lesson I learned
If you want to be something in life, You ain't gonna get it unless, You give a little bit of sacrifice, Oohh, sometimes before you smile you got to cry.." -The Roots